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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for alt.music.james-taylor
Version 4.2
April 18, 1996
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New Since Last Revision
Section: Description:
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Many small fixes
4.3.1 -- Added info on the Randy Newman "Faust" album with JT
4.3.2 -- Added more backup work for Jimmy Buffett
4.4.2 -- Added "Baby Boom Baby" music video
4.3.2 -- Added more work with Linda Ronstadt
4.3.3 -- Added "Spy" composition for Carly Simon
4.5 -- Added JT's work with John Sheldon and Blue Streak
4.6 -- Added set list for the "Not Fade Away" bootleg
4.6 -- Added "Homeless Children's Medical Benefit Concert" bootleg
5.4 -- Added U.K. TV appearance "James Taylor Sings James Taylor"
5.4 -- Added BBC "In Concert" TV appearance
5.9 -- Added "CBS This Morning" appearance
7.8 -- Added "B.S.U.R." song origin
6.2 -- Added another Rolling Stone article
8.9 -- Added tidbit for the Flying Machine album
9.1.3 -- Added more info for Kate Taylor and her albums
9.1.4 -- Added info on Hugh's album
9.2.4 -- Added label info for Carole King's "One To One" album
9.2.4 -- Added more info on David Lasley, Arnold McCuller, and Rosemary
Butler
9.2.4 -- Added section for Valerie Carter
9.2.4 -- Added section for Clifford Carter
9.2.4 -- Added another Don Grolnick album
C O N T E N T S:
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION
2.1 JT World Wide Web Page
2.2 JT FTP Site
3.0 BIOGRAPHY/CHRONOLOGY
4.0 WORKS
4.1 Albums
4.1.1 U.S. Albums
4.1.2 Non-U.S. Albums
4.2 Singles
4.3 Work On Other Albums
4.3.1 Solos
4.3.2 Duets, Trios, and Backup
4.3.3 Other Compositions
4.4 Videos
4.4.1 Concert Videos
4.4.2 Single-Song Music Videos
4.4.3 Appearances In Other Videos
4.5 Miscellaneous Work
4.6 Bootlegs
5.0 APPEARANCES
5.1 "Saturday Night Live"
5.2 "The Tonight Show"
5.3 "Sesame Street"
5.4 Concerts on TV
5.5 Radio
5.6 Major Live Performances
5.7 "The Simpsons"
5.8 "Late Night With David Letterman"
5.9 "CBS This Morning"
6.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY
6.1 Biographies
6.2 Major Articles/Interviews
6.3 Sheet Music and Music Books
7.0 SONG ORIGINS
7.1 "Fire and Rain"
7.2 "Sweet Baby James"
7.3 "Mona"
7.4 "Suite for 20G"
7.5 "Mexico"
7.6 "Steamroller"
7.7 Quick Takes
7.8 "B.S.U.R."
8.0 TIDBITS
8.1 The Rock In Rio concerts
8.2 Carly Simon's "You're So Vain"
8.3 JT/Carly Simon breakup
8.4 JT's Guitars and Pickups
8.5 Randy Newman's Rock Opera
8.6 JT's Nicknames
8.7 Summer '94 Tour Set List
8.8 '95-'96 Symphonic Tour Set List
8.9 The Flying Machine Album
9.0 RELATED ARTISTS
9.1 JT's Family
9.1.1 Alex
9.1.2 Livingston
9.1.3 Kate
9.1.4 Hugh
9.1.5 Ben
9.2 JT Alumni
9.2.1 Carly Simon
9.2.2 Carole King
9.2.3 Joni Mitchell
9.2.4 Others
10.0 POINTERS
10.1 Where To Find JT's Albums
10.2 Fan Mail
10.3 How To Use the World Wide Web
11.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
_________________________________________________________________________
1.0 I N T R O D U C T I O N
With a career that spans more than twenty-five years, it's no great
surprise that James Taylor's musical influence has reached just about every
corner of the globe. Since leading the singer-songwriter movement in the early
70s, JT has gone on to refine his style, changing over the years while still
maintaining the musical craftsmanship that garnered so much attention
early in his career.
This document--and the newsgroup that spawned it--are testaments to JT's
unusually long and successful career, and also to the worldwide following
that career has created. Just a quick scan of the contributors to this
document makes it obvious that JT is much more than an American star.
The readers of alt.music.james-taylor come from just about everywhere--
Europe, Asia, South America, Australia--and they all share a love for JT's
music.
This document is constantly being expanded, so you'll probably notice some
holes. If you can fill in some of the missing information, please send it
along to the address below. Also, if you find any errors, please let me
know so I can correct them.
If your site doesn't carry alt.music.james-taylor, ask your system
administrator to add it. Sometimes all it takes is a single request.
Enjoy.
-= Joel Risberg =-= jrisberg@shore.net =-
2.0 W H E R E T O G E T M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N
2.1 JT World Wide Web Page
Users with access to a World Wide Web browser such as Mosaic or Lynx can
connect to the JT WWW Home Page for the current FAQ, archive of articles on
the newsgroup, tour dates, lyrics files, GIFs, and sound samples. The URL is:
http://www.shore.net/~jrisberg/JT/
2.2 JT FTP Site
The current FAQ, graphics files, lyrics, tour schedule, and the amj-t newsgroup
archive can all be found at the JT FTP site. Be sure to use binary mode
for the graphics and sound files. Thanks to Greg DeBruyn for donating and
maintaining the site.
ftp.vcu.edu in pub/music/JT
The URL is:
ftp://ftp.vcu.edu/pub/music/
3.0 B I O G R A P H Y / C H R O N O L O G Y
James Vernon Taylor was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 12, 1948 in
Boston General Hospital at 5:06 p.m.
Adult JT stands 6'3" and weighs about 155 pounds.
His mother's name is Gertrude. His father's is Isaac.
Brothers: Alex (1947-1993), Livingston (born 1951), and Hugh (born 1952?)
Sister: Kate (born 1949)
All the siblings have recorded songs.
1951 - Family moves to Chapel Hill, NC
- His father, Dr. Isaac Taylor, was the dean of the University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill medical school.
1953 - JT begins attending Milton Academy, a prep school outside Boston.
1958? - JT hears someone play guitar and decides he wants to learn how.
- JT had studied cello when he was younger.
1960 - JT's parents buy him his first guitar.
1963 - JT meets Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar on Martha's Vineyard.
- JT and Kootch win a hootenanny contest.
- JT and Kootch play folk gigs locally.
1964 - Drops out of Milton Academy during his junior year.
- JT joins a band, The Fabulous Corsairs, with brother Alex and Zach
Wiesner. Wiesner was replaced a few months later by Jerry Burnham.
1965 - Moves to to New York City
- 17-year-old JT admits himself and spends ten months in McLean
Psychiatric Hospital in Massachusetts as a result of depression.
His song "Knocking 'Round the Zoo" was inspired by his stay there.
- Goes on a trip to Russia.
1966 - Graduates from high school in the McLean Psychiatric Hospital.
- Kootch and Joel O' Brien join JT to form The Flying Machine.
- Release one single: "Night Owl" / "Brighten Your Night With My Day"
- The Flying Machine makes studio recordings. Album wasn't released
until 1971 under the title "James Taylor and the Original
Flying Machine."
1967 - The Flying Machine breaks up.
1968 - Begins using heroin.
- Moves to Notting Hill Gate section of London and records demos.
Auditions them for record companies.
- Introduced to Paul McCartney by Peter Asher and signed to the Beatles'
record label, Apple Records. JT was the first outside artist signed to
that label.
- November: "James Taylor" released in U.K. with little commercial
success
- Returns to U.S.
- Enters Austin Riggs, another mental hospital in Massachusetts, partly
due to his heroin addiction.
1969 - February: "James Taylor" released in U.S.
- March: Single "Carolina In My Mind" / "Taking It In" released.
- July: Single "Something's Wrong" released.
- July: JT debuts at The Troubadour in Los Angeles.
- Breaks both his hands in a motorcycle accident and is forced to stop
playing for several months.
- Signs to Warner Brothers label and moves to California with Asher.
1970 - March: "Sweet Baby James" released on Warner Brothers label. Album
goes to number one and is a best-seller for two years.
- April: Single "Sweet Baby James" / "Suite For 20G" released.
- April 24: Performs at Harvard College. Recorded and circulated among
tape collectors.
- August: Single "Fire and Rain" / "Anywhere Like Heaven" released.
Eventually hits number one on the charts.
- October 16: "Sweet Baby James" album certified platinum.
- November: Single "Carolina In My Mind" / "Something's Wrong" released.
- Performs with Joni Mitchell on BBC radio show. Recordings of the show
are often bootlegged under the titles "In Perfect Harmony" or "You Can
Close Your Eyes." See section 4.6.
1971 - January: Single "Country Road" / "Sunny Skies" released.
- JT on the cover of _Time Magazine_, touted as originator of the
"singer/songwriter era" (March 1 issue date).
- "James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine" released.
- March 23: Plays Anaheim Civic Center. Show recorded and used for
two early bootlegs: "Taylor Made" and "Isn't It Nice To Be Home
Again." See Section 4.6.
- March: Appears in film "Two Lane Blacktop."
- Parents separate.
- "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon" released. Goes platinum.
- Plays to sold-out audiences in 27-city tour. Band includes Carole
King and Kootch's band, Jo Mama.
- May: Single "You've Got a Friend" / "You Can Close Your Eyes"
released. Single goes gold.
- September: Single "Long Ago and Far Away" / "Let Me Ride" released.
1972 - Wins Grammy, "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male" for "You've Got A
Friend." Song also earns Carole King the "Song of the Year" Grammy.
- October: "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" single released.
- Nov. 3: Marries Carly Simon. Son Ben and daughter Sally from that
marriage. Sally is the subject of his song "Sarah Maria."
- "One Man Dog" released.
1973 - February: "One Man Parade" / "Hymn" single released.
- March: "Hymn" / "Fanfare" single released.
1974 - "Mockingbird" duet with C. Simon released as a single (million-seller)
and on Simon's "Hotcakes" album.
- April 30: Four-week U.S. tour to promote "Walking Man."
- June: "Walking Man" released.
- July: "Daddy's Baby" / "Let It All Fall Down" single (inspired by
Watergate) unsuccessful when Nixon resigns the day after its
release.
- July 13: Three-week tour with the Manhattan Dirt Riders and Linda
Ronstadt.
- August: "Walking Man" / "Daddy's Baby" single released.
1975 - April 30: Four-week tour.
- May: "Gorilla" released.
- "How Sweet It Is" / "Sarah Maria" single released.
- May 30: Plays Carnegie Hall in NYC with guests Carole King and
David Crosby. "You've Got a Friend" duet with King released on her
"The Ode Years" collection in 1994.
- July 2: Four-week U.S. tour.
- August: "Mexico" / "Gorilla" single released.
- September: Solo tour of 8 cities.
1976 - April 21: Two-week tour.
- May: "In the Pocket" released.
- "Shower the People" / "I Can Dream of You" single released.
- July 3: Four-week tour with David Sanborn.
- October: "You Make It Easy" / Woman's Got To Have It" single
released.
- November: "Greatest Hits" released (goes platinum).
- December: Leaves Warner Brothers for Columbia Records.
1977 - June 3: "Handyman" / "Bartender's Blues" single released.
- June 24: "JT" released on CBS label (goes platinum).
- June 26: One-month tour with 22 shows.
- August: Produces and performs for Kate Taylor's single "It's In His
Kiss."
- September 20: "Your Smiling Face" / "If I Keep My Heart Out of
Sight" single released.
- November: Tour of California followed by two shows in Honolulu.
1978 - January 31: "Honey Don't Leave L.A." single released.
- February: Wins "Best Pop Vocal Performance" Grammy for "Handyman."
- Peter Asher wins "Producer of the Year" Grammy.
- JT produces and performs on Kate Taylor's self-titled album. Also
composed the song "Happy Birthday Sweet Darling" on that album.
- Wrote "Millworker," "Brother Trucker," and the music for "Un Mejor
Dia Vendra" for the Broadway musical "Working." The show bombed.
- July 20: Original cast album for "Working" released (Columbia
Masterworks).
- September: Duet of "Devoted To You" with Carly Simon on her "Boys In
the Trees" album.
1979 - April 26: "Flag" released. Includes recordings of "Millworker" and
"Brother Trucker" from the musical "Working."
- May 22: "Up On the Roof" / Chanson Francaise" single released.
- July 3: Six-week U.S. tour with 25 shows. 2 nights at Ohio's Blossom
Music Center taped for a Showtime special.
- September 19-23: Performs at a series of 5 antinuclear concerts called
"MUSE/No Nukes". See section 5.5 for more information on the album
and film.
- December: "No Nukes" 3-LP album released (Asylum). JT is heard on 6
tracks.
1980 - May 12: Performs at nuclear disarmament rally in New York's Central
park attended by over 1 million people. Other performers include
Springsteen, Browne, Ronstadt, and Baez. Concert broadcast
nationally on radio and filmed for "In Our Own Hands."
- July 18: "No Nukes" feature-length movie opens in New York. JT's
studio recording of "Stand and Fight" is added.
- August 3: Four-week tour with 23 shows.
1981 - "In Harmony" Sesame Street album wins "Best Children's Recording"
Grammy. See section 4.3.1.
- February 11: Five-week tour.
- February 20: "Her Town Too" / "Believe It Or Not" single released.
- February 26: "Dad Loves His Work" released.
- April 25: Two and a half-month tour with 47 shows.
- May 12: "Hard Times" / "Summer's Here" single released.
- May 13: Live performance at Fox Theater in Atlanta broadcast
nationally on radio. Title: "James Taylor Live In Concert."
- September 4: Plays role of truck driver in PBS TV production of
"Working."
- September 10: Month-long tour of Far East with 17 shows in Japan and
Australia..
1982 - February 1: Six-week tour with 30 shows.
- July 14: Five-week tour with Karla Bonoff opening.
- Divorces Carly Simon.
1983 - August 1: Six-week tour.
1984 - April 4: Four-week tour.
- August 1: Six-week tour with Randy Newman.
1985 - January 12 and 14: Performs at Rock in Rio concert in Brazil.
Song "Only a Dream In Rio" inspired by this visit.
- September 12: Two-week tour of Italy.
- October 15: "Everyday" / "Limousine Driver" single released.
- October 17: "That's Why I'm Here" released.
- October 25: Three-week tour.
- "Live In Rio" released by Columbia Brasil.
- Performs at first Moscow Rock festival. Highlights shown on Showtime
cable network.
- December 14: Marries Kathryn Walker at the Cathedral of St. John the
Divine in New York City.
1986 - January 24: Two-week tour of Australia.
- March 16: Five-week tour of Europe.
- July 23: Six-week U.S. tour.
- September 29: One-week U.S. tour.
- October 11: Two-week tour of Brazil.
1988 - "Never Die Young" released.
- Two-week Australian tour.
1991 - "James Taylor" (JT's 1969 Apple debut album) re-released by EMI.
- "New Moon Shine" released.
1993 - "James Taylor (LIVE)" released (more than 1 million copies sold).
1994 - "James Taylor (Best LIVE) released (contains subset of LIVE).
1995 - April 12: Performs at Rainforest Action Network benefit at New
York's Carnegie Hall with Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John,
Paul Simon, and others.
- May 7: Receives honorary doctorate of music at the Berklee College
of Music in Boston. Also gives commencement speech. More info on
web site.
- Tours U.S. playing with major symphony orchestras.
- August 30: Performs rare joint concert with Carly Simon on Martha's
Vineyard. Dubbed "Livestock 95" since it was a behefit for the
Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society.
4.0 W O R K S
4.1 Albums
4.1.1 U.S. Albums
"James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine" -- Recorded 1966-67, released
1971 - Euphoria
Reference #: Z4RS-1335 (vinyl)
At least three versions with slight variations.
1. Plain white cover with penciled titles.
2. Light blue cover with a sketch of JT.
3. Like second, only in black and white (probably counterfeit).
Only available on vinyl
Songs:
Rainy Day Man
Knocking 'Round the Zoo (lead vocal by JT)
Something's Wrong (backing track w/o vocals)
Night Owl
Brighten Your Night With My Day
Kootch's Song (Danny Kortchmar)
Knocking 'Round the Zoo (lead by Kortchmar)
"James Taylor" -- 1968 - Apple Records - Produced by Paul McCartney
Remastered and re-released on CD and tape by EMI Records in 1991
Reference #: CDP 7975772 (U.S.) / SAPCOR3 (U.K.)
Songs:
Don't Talk Now
Something's Wrong
Knocking 'Round the Zoo
Sunshine Sunshine
Taking It In
Something In the Way She Moves
Carolina In My Mind
Brighten Your Night With My Day
Night Owl (later recorded by Carly Simon and also Alex Taylor)
Rainy Day Man
Circle Round the Sun
The Blues Is Just a Bad Dream
"Sweet Baby James" -- 1970 - Warner Brothers Records
Reference #: 1843-2
Songs:
Sweet Baby James
Lo and Behold
Sunny Skies
Steamroller
Country Road
Oh, Susannah
Fire and Rain
Blossom
Anywhere Like Heaven
Oh Baby, Don't You Loose Your Lip On Me
Suite For 20G
"Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon" -- 1971 - Warner Bros.
Reference #: W2 2561
Songs:
Love Has Brought Me Around (Carole King - piano, Joni Mitchell - vocal)
You've Got A Friend (with Joni Mitchell)
Places In My Past
Riding On A Railroad
Soldiers
Mud Slide Slim (with Carole King, Kate Taylor, et al.)
Hey Mister, That's Me Up On The Jukebox
You Can Close Your Eyes
Machine Gun Kelly (with Peter Asher)
Long Ago and Far Away (with Joni Mitchell)
Let Me Ride (with Kate Taylor)
Highway Song (with Kate Taylor and Peter Asher)
Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again
"One Man Dog" -- 1972 - Warner Brothers
Reference #: WAR 25933
Songs:
One Man Parade (with Carole King, Abigale Haness, Carly Simon,
Alex Taylor, Hugh Taylor, and Kate Taylor)
Nobody But You
Chili Dog
Fool For You
Instrumental I
New Tune
Back On the Street Again
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Woh, Don't You Know (with Alex and Hugh Taylor)
One Morning In May (with Linda Ronstadt)
Instrumental II
Someone
Hymn
Fanfare (with Abigail Haness and Carole King)
Little David
Mescalito (with Carole King and Abigail Haness)
Dance
Jig
"Walking Man" -- 1974 - Warner Brothers
Reference #: WAR 2794
Songs:
Walking Man
Rock 'n' Roll Is Music Now (with Paul and Linda McCartney, Carly
Simon, and Rick Marotta)
Let It All Fall Down (with McCartneys and Simon)
Me and My Guitar (with Peter Asher and Simon)
Daddy's Baby (with Carly Simon)
Ain't No Song (with Carly Simon and Asher)
Hello, Old Friend
Migration
The Promised Land
Fading Away
"Gorilla" -- 1975 - Warner Bros.
Reference #: 2866-2
Songs:
Mexico (with Graham Nash and David Crosby)
Music
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - (with Carly Simon)
Wandering
Gorilla
You Make It Easy
I Was a Fool To Care
Lighthouse (with Nash and Crosby)
Angry Blues
Love Songs
Sarah Maria
"In the Pocket" -- 1976 - Warner Bros.
Reference #: 2912-2
Songs:
Shower the People (with Carly Simon)
A Junkie's Lament (with Art Garfunkel)
Money Machine
Slow Burning Love (with Carly Simon)
Everybody Has the Blues
Daddy's All Gone
Woman's Gotta Have It
Captain Jim's Drunken Dream (with Art Garfunkel)
Don't Be Sad 'Cause Your Sun Is Down (with Stevie Wonder)
Nothing Like a Hundred Miles (with David Crosby and Graham Nash)
Family Man (with Carly Simon, Alex Taylor, and Bonnie Raitt)
Golden Moments
"Greatest Hits" - 1976 - Warner Brothers
Reference #: WAR3113
Songs:
Something In the Way She Moves (re-recording since debut album)
Fire and Rain
Carolina In My Mind (re-recording)
Country Road
You've Got A Friend
Shower the People
Mexico
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Sweet Baby James
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Walkin' Man
Steamroller Blues (live version)
"JT" -- 1977 - CBS Records
Reference #: CK 34811
Also available on a 24K gold CD with 20-bit recording
Reference #: CBS 53787
Songs:
Your Smiling Face (written for JT's daughter Sally)
There We Are
Honey Don't Leave L.A. (David Sanborn - saxophone)
Another Grey Morning
Bartender's Blues (with Linda Ronstadt)
Secret O' Life
Handyman
I Was Only Telling A Lie
Looking For Love On Broadway
Terra Nova (with Carly Simon)
Traffic Jam
If I Keep My Heart Out Of Sight
"Flag" -- 1979 - CBS
Reference #: CD 36058
Songs:
Company Man (with Graham Nash)
Johnnie Comes Back
Day Tripper
I Will Not Lie For You (David Sanborn - sax)
Brother Trucker (with Alex Taylor)
Is That the Way You Look?
B. S. U. R. (with Carly Simon)
Rainy Day Man
Millworker
Up On the Roof
Chanson Francaise
Sleep Come Free Me
"Dad Loves His Work" -- 1981 - CBS
Reference #: CBS 37009
Songs:
Hard Times (with David Lasley and Arnold McCuller)
Her Town Too (with John David Souther)
Hour That the Morning Comes
I Will Follow (with Lasley and McCuller)
Believe It Or Not
Stand And Fight (with Lasley and McCuller)
Only For Me (with Lasley and McCuller)
Summer's Here
Sugar Trade (co-written by Jimmy Buffett)
London Town (with Lasley and McCuller)
That Lonesome Road (with Peter Asher, Jim Gilstrap, Bernard Ighner,
Lasley, McCuller, and Jennifer Warnes)
"That's Why I'm Here" -- 1985 - CBS
Reference #: CK 40052
Songs:
That's Why I'm Here
Song For You Far Away
Only A Dream In Rio
Turn Away
Going Around One More Time (written by Livingston Taylor)
My Romance (written by Rodgers & Hart - only on CD version)
Everyday
Limousine Driver
Only One (with Don Henley, Joni Mitchell, et al.)
Mona (with Graham Nash)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (with Graham Nash - written by
Bachrach-David)
That's Why I'm Here (reprise)
"Never Die Young" -- 1988 - CBS
Reference #: CK 40851
Songs:
Never Die Young
T-Bone
Baby Boom Baby
Runaway Boy
Valentine's Day
Sun On the Moon
Sweet Potato Pie
Home By Another Way
Letter In the Mail
First Of May
"New Moon Shine" -- 1991 - Columbia
Reference #: CK 46038
Songs:
Copperline
Down In the Hole
(I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That
Shed a Little Light
The Frozen Man
Slap Leather
Like Everyone She Knows (with Branford Marsalis)
One More Go Round
Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha
Native Son
Oh Brother
The Water Is Wide
"James Taylor (LIVE)" -- 1993 - Columbia
Reference #: C2K 47056
Songs: (all new live versions recorded in concert)
Disc 1:
Sweet Baby James
Traffic Jam
Handy Man
Your Smiling Face
Secret O' Life
Shed a Little Light
Everybody Has the Blues
Steamroller Blues
Mexico
Millworker
Country Road
Fire and Rain
Shower the People
How Sweet It Is
New Hymn
Disc 2:
Walking Man
Riding On A Railroad
Something In the Way She Moves
Sun On the Moon
Up On the Roof
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
She Thinks I Still Care
Copperline
Slap Leather
Only One
You Make It Easy
Carolina In My Mind
I Will Follow
You've Got A Friend
That Lonesome Road
"James Taylor (Best LIVE)" -- 1994 - Columbia
Reference #: SON 66235
Note: Essentially a single-album version of the 1993 (LIVE) double album.
Songs: (same performances as (LIVE) album)
Country Road
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Fire and Rain
Handy Man
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Mexico
Shed a Little Light
Shower the People
Steamroller Blues
Sweet Baby James
Walking Man
Your Smiling Face
4.1.2 Non-U.S. Albums
"Classic Songs" -- 1987 - CBS/WEA (Germany)
Reference #: iMi10985 (Pastel colors with photo from "JT" album)
Reference #: CBS 465643-2 (Australian version with a concert photo instead)
Also distributed as:
"Taylor Made" (not to be confused with the bootleg of the same name)
Columbia (Netherlands) - Reference #: B299581
Songs:
Fire and Rain
Mexico
You've Got a Friend
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Carolina In My Mind (alternate mix)
Something In the Way She Moves (alternate mix)
Shower the People
Sweet Baby James
That's Why I'm Here
Everyday
Up On the Roof
Your Smiling Face
Her Town Too
Handyman
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Only a Dream In Rio
"Best Classics" -- ? - ?
Reference #: ?
Songs:
?
"Star Box" -- ? - Sony (Import greatest hits collection)
Reference #: B355873 and SRCS 6898 (includes extensive liner notes in
English and Japanese)
Songs: (Note: No new material)
Your Smiling Face
Only One
Copperline
There We Are
Only A Dream In Rio
Stand And Fight
Down In the Hole
Up On the Roof
Summer's Here
Millworker
B. S. U. R.
Bartender's Blues
Handyman
Never Die Young
Hard Times
Terra Nova
Valentine's Day
That's Why I'm Here
I Will Follow
That Lonesome Road
"Live In Rio" -- 1985 - Columbia (Brasil)
Reference #: 700.060
Songs:
Long Ago and Far Away
Carolina In My Mind
Up on the Roof
You've Got A Friend
Shower the People
Fire and Rain
Mexico
Walking Man
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Knock on Wood
How Sweet it Is
"Steamroller" -- 1985 - Platinum (Germany)
Reference #: PLP 11/24023 (album) and PMC 11/24023 (cassette)
Notes: Just a bad reshuffling of "Sweet Baby James" songs.
Poor recording quality and no new material.
4.2 Singles
Carolina In My Mind / Taking It In (3/69)
Something's Wrong (7/69)
Sweet Baby James / Suite For 20-G (4/70)
Fire and Rain / Anywhere Like Heaven (8/70)
Carolina In My Mind / Something's Wrong (11/70)
Country Road / Sunny Skies (1/71)
You've Got A Friend / You Can Close Your Eyes (5/71)
Long Ago and Far Away / Let Me Ride (9/71)
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (10/72)
One Man Parade / Hymn (2/73)
Hymn / Fanfare (3/73)
Mockingbird (duet with Carly Simon - 1974)
Daddy's Baby / Let It All Fall Down (7/74)
Walkin' Man / Daddy's Baby (8/74)
How Sweet It Is / Sarah Maria (5/75)
Mexico / Gorilla (8/75)
Shower the People / I Can Dream of You [written by Liv Taylor] (5/76)
You Make It Easy / Woman's Got To Have It (10/76)
Handy Man / Bartender's Blues (6/77)
Your Smiling Face / If I Keep My Heart Our of Sight (9/77)
Honey Don't Leave L.A. (1/78)
Up On the Roof / Chanson Francaise (5/79)
Her Town Too / Believe It Or Not (2/81)
Hard Times / Summer's Here (5/81)
Everyday / Limousine Driver (10/85)
Five-live single released in Belgium in 1994. Contained songs from
the "Live" album.
4.3 Work On Other Albums
4.3.1 Solos
"A League Of Their Own Soundtrack"
JT did two songs: "Paper Moon" (with Mark O'Connor on violin) and
"I Didn't Know What Time It Was." "I Didn't..." is heard very
faintly in the background during a bus scene and "Paper Moon"
doesn't appear in the movie at all.
"Second Star To the Right" -- JT sang it on "Stay Awake," a collection of
Disney songs (A&M records number 3918)
"Jelly Man Kelly" -- Sang it on the 1979 Sesame Street album "In Harmony"
Co-written by JT's daughter, Sally. Also appears on "A Child's
Celebration of Song" (Warner Bros.) - 1992
"Sunny Skies" -- Performs it on Sesame Street "In Harmony II" album.
(Columbia PC 37641).
"Getting To Know You" -- Sang it on "For Our Children," a benefit album for
pediatric AIDS research.
"Riding On A Railroad" live version on 3-LP set "The Bitter End Years."
Released 1974. JT's contribution appears on LP 3.
"Your Smiling Face" -- On the soundtrack to the 1978 movie "FM."
"Captain Jim's Drunken Dream" and "Honey Don't Leave L.A." -- On the 1979
"No Nukes" album. JT also performs on four other songs.
"Dream Lover" -- On Manhattan Transfer's 1994 album "Tonin'".
"Faust" -- Sang the role of The Lord for the album version of Randy
Newman's rock opera. Songs featuring JT include "Glory Train,"
"How Great Our Lord," "Northern Boy," and "Relax, Enjoy Yourself."
The album also features Randy Newman, Don Henley, Elton John,
Bonnie Raitt, and Linda Ronstadt (Reprise 9 45672-2).
4.3.2 Duets, Trios, and Backup
- "Mockingbird" -- Duet with then-wife Carly Simon on her album, "Hotcakes,"
and also on her Greatest Hits album.
A live version appears on the 1979 "No Nukes" album.
- "Waited So Long" -- Duet with Carly Simon on her "No Secrets" album. JT
also sings backup on Carly's "Spy," "Come Upstairs," "Hotcakes," and
"Playing Possum."
- "Song of Long Ago" -- Carole King/JT duet on her album, "Music" - 1971
JT also plays guitar and does background vocals on her "Writer,"
"Tapestry," "Music," and "Thoroughbred" albums.
- "You've Got a Friend" -- Duet with Carole King on her 1994 2-CD
collection, "The Ode Years."
- Sang and played on "California" from Joni Mitchell's 1971 album, "Blue."
Also did background vocals on "In France They Kiss On Main Street"
from the "Hissing Of Summer Lawns" album. JT also performed on the
albums "For the Roses, "Dog Eat Dog," and "Wild Things Run Fast."
- "The Water is Wide" -- Duet with Karla Bonoff on her 1979 album "Restless
Nights" (J. D. Souther sang backup)
JT recorded it solo on "New Moon Shine."
Also on "Thirtysomething" soundtrack (Geffen 24413)
- "Perfect Love" -- Cohn/JT duet on Cohn's self-titled album
- "Old Blue" -- With violinist Mark O'Connor on his album "On the Mark" - 1987
- "City Lights" -- Duet with brother Liv on Liv's 1988 album "Life Is Good."
Also sang backup with Carly Simon on Livingston's 1978 album,
"3-Way Mirror" and on "Lovin' Be My New Horizon" from Liv's "Over
the Rainbow" album (also appears on Liv's "Echoes" album).
- "Back In the High Life" -- JT sang backup for Steve Winwood on this song
- "Wonderful World" recorded with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel in 1978.
Included on Garfunkel's "Watermark" album.
- "It's In His Kiss" --Duet with sister Kate Taylor on her 1978 album, "Kate
Taylor."
See section 9.1 below.
- "Crying In the Rain" -- Duet with Art Garfunkel on his 1994 album,
"Up 'til Now." JT also plays on the song "It's All In the Game."
- "Gonna Work Out Fine" -- Duet with Linda Ronstadt on her album "Get Closer."
JT performed it during his 1981 Atlanta radio broadcast. JT
also appears on the song "Straighten Up and Fly Right" from her album
"For Sentimental Reasons."
- "Bartender's Blues" -- Sang backup for George Jones' 1977 cover of JT's
own song.
- "Devoted To You" -- duet with Carly Simon on her 1978 "Boys In the Trees"
album.
- "Only a Dream In Rio" -- Milton Nascimento (Brazilian artist) -- JT sings
backup on his 1994 album "Angelus."
- Young, Neil -- JT sings backup for three songs on the 1992 album, "Harvest
Moon." The songs are: "From Hank to Hendrix," "War of Man," and "One
of These Days." He also plays and sings backup on two songs from
the "Harvest" album, along with playing banjo on "Old Man" from
that album.
- "Wind On the Water" -- JT sings on the title track of David Crosby and
Graham Nash's album of the same name. JT also plays guitar on the
song "Carry Me." (MCA 31251)
- "Chippin' Away" -- Sang backup for Crosby Stills and Nash on their 1990
single.
- "Sad Eyes" -- JT sings backup on this song from Graham Nash's "Innocent
Eyes" album.
- "Oh Yes I Can" -- JT sings backup David Crosby's album of the same name.
- "New Star Shining" -- duet with Ricky Scaggs on his album, "Love's Gonna
Get Ya." JT also appears in the video.
- "He Will Break Your Heart" -- JT sings a duet with brother Alex on Alex's
1989 album "Voodoo In Me."
- "L'Air De La Louisiane" -- Sang backup with Timothy Schmit on Jimmy
Buffett's "Hot Water" album. Also sang backup with Hugh and Alex on
Buffett's "Volcano" album (they called themselves "The Embarrassing
Stains").
- "Power" -- Sang it with John Hall and Carly Simon on Hall's 1979 album,
"Power."
- "Got To Find Love" -- Sang backup on David Lasley's 1982 album "Missin'
Twenty Grand."
- LaBounty, Bill -- Sang backup on LaBounty's self-titled 1982 album.
Songs are "Didn't Want to Say Goodbye" and "Never Gonna Look Back."
- "Since I Don't Have You" -- Sang with Don McLean. Can be found on
McLean's 1992 album, "Classics."
4.3.3 Other Compositions
- Wrote "Millworker," "Brother Trucker," and the music for "Un Mejor
Dia Vendra" for the Broadway musical "Working" in 1978.
"Millworker" and "Brother Trucker" were later recorded on JT's
album, "Flag."
- "Slow and Steady" recorded by Kate Taylor on her 1978 album "Kate Taylor"
- "Vacation" on Livingston Taylor's 1993 album "Our Turn To Dance" was
co-written by Liv and JT.
- "Benjamin" on David Sanborn's 1977 album "Promise Me the Moon." (Warner
Bros. BS 3051). Instrumental named for JT's son.
- "Cornbread & Buttermilk," a very early JT-Livingston collaboration used
by Liv in his mid-70s shows.
- "Spy," the title track from Carly Simon's album, was written by JT.
- "Happy Birthday Sweet Darling" on Kate Taylor's self-titled album.
4.4 Videos
4.4.1 Concert Videos
"James Taylor in Concert" -- 1979 - Warner Bros.
First JT video. Recorded Summer of 1979 at Blossom Music Festival during JT's
"Flag" tour. Hard to find, but may still be available in video rental
stores.
Songs:
Blossom
Millworker
Carolina in my Mind
Handyman
Brother Trucker
Secret 'O Life
Your Smiling Face
Up on the Roof
Steamroller Blues
Don't Let Me Be Lonely
Long Ago & Far Away
I Will Not Lie
Walking Man
Mexico
Honey Don't Leave LA
Sweet Baby James
How Sweet It Is
Summertime Blues
Fire and Rain
"Ohne Filter Musik Pur" ("Purely Music") -- 1986
Pioneer Laser Disc
Not available on VHS
Recording of 1986 appearance on German television program.
Approx. 50 min.
You Can Close Your Eyes
Sweet Baby James
Wandering
That's Why I'm Here
Only A Dream in Rio
Handyman
Your Smiling Face
Traffic Jam
Sea Cruise
Everyday
Only One
Fire and Rain
How Sweet It Is
"James Taylor In Concert" -- 1988
Recorded March 1988 at the Boston Colonial Theater in Boston, MA.
Complete set list broadcast by PBS, but video cuts several songs.
Sony
VHS, 69 minutes
Songs (from PBS broadcast):
Something in the Way She Moves
Fire and Rain
Song For You Far Away
Your Smiling Face
Only One
Shower the People
How Sweet It Is
Up On the Roof
Everyday
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Angry Blues
The Twist
Sweet Potato Pie
Never Die Young
Steamroller
Carolina In My Mind
Sweet Baby James
"Squibnocket" -- 1993
Pre-1992 tour covering through "New Moon Shine." Version called "Going
Home" shown on the Disney Channel in April 1992.
VHS, 65 minutes, stereo
Songs:
Secret Of Life
Wandering
Traffic Jam
(I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' Bout That
You've Got A Friend
Fire and Rain
Sun On the Moon
Frozen Man
Shed a Little Light
Copperline
Sweet Baby James
Country Road
Mexico
Your Smiling Face
You Can Close Your Eyes
(and several interviews)
4.4.2 Single-Song Music Videos
- Her Town Too
- Everyday
- Only One
- Only A Dream In Rio
- Never Die Young
- Baby Boom Baby
- Copperline
- Gotta Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That
- Shed a Little Light
4.4.3 Appearances In Other Videos
- "No Nukes" - JT performs "Mockingbird" with Carly Simon, "Your Smiling
Face," "Stand And Fight," and "Taking It To the Streets." Studio
version of "Stand And Fight" plays during closing credits.
Also, "The Muse Concert" CBS/FOX 7065.
- "In Our Own Hands" - Footage of 1980 nuclear disarmament concert in New
York's Central Park. JT sings "You've Got A Friend."
See section 3.0.
- "Moscow Rock Festival" - JT performs "How Sweet It Is" and "You've Got A
Friend."
- "Sing Yourself Silly" -- Sesame Street Home Video - 1990
JT performs "Jelly Man Kelly." See section 4.3.1.
- "The Seventeenth Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival" - 1994
Distributor: Pacific Arts
Producer: Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Inc. 1-800-624-2422
VHS, 90 mins.
Reference #: PAV 857
JT performs "Shower the People," "Sweet Baby James," and "Old Blue."
Other artists appearing include:
Strength in Numbers, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin, Mary-Chapin Carpenter,
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Mark O'Connor, David Wilcox, Jerry
Douglas, Jonathan Edwards, Edgar Meyer, Peter Rowan, The Subdudes,
Tom O'Brien, Harvey Reid, and The Left Hand String Band.
4.5 Miscellaneous Work
- Musical Director for 1985 Film "Smooth Talk" with Laura Dern and Treat
Williams. JT's friends George Massenburg and Russ Kunkel also worked
on the film.
- Produced "Boneyard" album for John Sheldon and Blue Streak. Also did
vocal for the songe "Little Things" on that album.
4.6 Bootlegs
Note: Many of JT's shows have been recorded and passed among collectors.
The following bootlegs are only those released commercially (usually with
questionable legality).
"In Perfect Harmony" -- Recording of 10/29/70 BBC radio performance
with Joni Mitchell. Also more recently on CD from the Living Legend
label under the name "You Can Close Your Eyes" or "Close Your Eyes.
See section 5.5.
Songs:
(commentary by both Joni and JT throughout)
That Song About the Midway (Joni)
The Gallery (Joni)
Rainy Day Man (JT)
Steamroller Blues (JT)
The Priest Song (Joni)
Carey (Joni)
Carolina (JT)
California (Joni)
For Free (Joni)
The Circle Game (lead by Joni)
You Can Close Your Eyes (Duet)
"Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again" -- 1971 - Rubber Dubber Records
Reference #: ?
Only available on vinyl (rare)
Recorded live at the Anaheim, CA Convention Center on March 21, 1971.
Similar recordings were distributed as "Live at the Anaheim Convention
Center" and "Taylor Made." See below.
Songs:
Album 1:
Sweet Baby James
I Feel Fine (Something In the Way She Moves?)
Hey Mister, That's Me Up On the Jukebox
Sunny Skies
Chili Dog
Riding On a Railroad
Conversation (JT speaking to audience)
Places In My Past
You Can Close Your Eyes
Soldiers
Going To Carolina In My Mind
Long Ago and Far Away
Album 2:
Country Road
Fire and Rain
Sixteen Candles
Love Has Brought Me Around
Woh, Don't You Know
Steamroller Blues
Come On Brother, Get On Up and Help Me Find the Screw
The Promised Land
Isn't It Nice To Be Home Again
"Taylor Made"
A second double-album bootleg of the same 1971 performance used for "Isn't
It Nice To Be Home Again." Also includes four songs from a JT television
appearance in the early '70s ("Fire and Rain," "Country Road," "Oh Susannah,"
(duet with Johnny Cash) and "Sweet Baby James.")
"Dad Lives His Work" -- released June, 1994 by Great Dane (Italy)
Single CD containing excerpts of 1981 national radio broadcast from Atlanta.
Original show was approximately 2 hours. CD is 77 minutes. See section 5.5.
Songs:
How Sweet It Is
Stand and Fight
Up On the Roof
Fire and Rain
Steamroller
Daddy's All Gone
Her Town Too
Mexico
Country Road
Money Machine
You've Got a Friend
"Got Some Friends" -- Royal Sound Music (Germany) - 1994 - RSM 064
Single CD recording of excerpts from summer 1994 show at Great Woods,
Massachusetts. 78 minutes.
Songs:
Lo and Behold
Mexico
Promised Land
Gotta Stop Thinkin' Bout That
Rainy Day Man
Frozen Man
Your Smiling Face
Copperline
Carolina In My Mind
Wandering
Memphis
Not Fade Away
Never Die Young
Up On the Roof
You've Got a Friend
Steamroller Blues
How Sweet It Is
Sweet Baby James
"Roses For Carole" -- Main Street (Italy) - MST104
Recording of JT's 1970 show at the Berkeley Community Theatre.
Songs include:
For Free
Carolina In My Mind
Okie From Muskogee
Sweet Baby James
I Love My Babe (Circle Round the Sun)
Greensleeves
Blossom
Up On the Roof (Lead by Carole King)
Night Owl
That Restless Feeling (Something's Wrong)
Where the Golden Rainbows End (Long Ago and Far Away)
Riding On a Railroad
Highway Song
Fire and Rain
You Can Close Your Eyes
"You've Got a Friend" -- M Records Ltd. (Germany) - 1992 - CJESD1
Remix of old material with a drum machine. Strange.
Songs:
Something In The Way She Moves
Carolina In My Mind
Fire and Rain
Sweet Baby James
Country Road
You've Got a Friend
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Walking Man
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Mexico
Shower The People
Letter In the Mail
Everyday
Steamroller (Live)
"Not Fade Away" -- 1995 - Japanese double-CD bootleg of 3/15/95 Tokyo show.
Songs:
DISC ONE: Sweet Baby James, Secret O' Life, Mexico, The Promised Land,
Copperline, Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight, (I've Got To) Stop Thinkin'
Bout That, Never Die Young, Frozen Man, Handy Man, Smiling Face, Shower
the People, Country Road, Riding On a Railroad, Something In the Way She
Moves
DISC TWO: Carolina In My Mind, Not Fade Away, Up On the Roof, You've Got a
Friend, How Sweet It Is, Fire & Rain, Steamroller, You Can Close Your Eyes,
(and the following are "bonus tracks" from 3/14/95) Not Fade Away, Up On
the Roof, You've Got a Friend, Only One
"Homeless Children's Medical Benefit Concert" - Yellow Cat - Appearances
by JT plus Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, et al. JT sings "Looking For Love
On Broadway" and "Carolina In My Mind."
5.0 A P P E A R A N C E S
5.1 Saturday Night Live (NBC network - U.S.)
Mid-October, 1976 - Sang "Shower the People" and "Sweet Baby James."
Host: Lily Tomlin
1979 - Sang "Johnnie Comes Back" and "Up On the Roof"
Also played small role in a skit as a ship's crewmember.
Host: Eric Idle
100th episode special (1980?) - Sang with Paul Simon on "Sunny Skies,"
"Take Me To the Mardi Gras" (a Simon song), and "Cathy's Clown" (made
popular by the Everly Brothers).
January 23, 1988 - Sang "Never Die Young," "Sweet Potato Pie," and "That
Lonesome Road." Host: Robin Williams
December 14, 1991 - Sang "(I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' Bout That," "Shed a
Little Light," and "Sweet Baby James." Host: Steve Martin
November 13, 1993 - Sang "Memphis" (written by Chuck Berry, 1959), "Slap
Leather, and "Secret 'O Life."
Also played himself in a skit satirizing a Frank Sinatra duet
compilation that had recently been released.
Host: Rosie O'Donnell
5.2 "The Tonight Show" -- NBC Network (U.S.)
Oct. or Nov. 1985 - Host: Gary Shandling
JT sang "Only A Dream In Rio" and "Everyday." No interview.
February 2, 1988 - Host: Johnny Carson
JT sang "Never Die Young" and "Sweet Potato Pie." Interview.
October 2, 1991 - Host: Jay Leno
JT sang "Copperline" and "Shed A Little Light." Interview.
Late 1991 or early 1992 - Host: Johnny Carson
JT sang "(I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' Bout That" and "Frozen Man."
Interview.
August 9, 1993 - Host: Jay Leno
JT sang "Country Road" and "Secret O' Life." Interview.
May 16, 1994 - Host: Jay Leno (show broadcast from New York)
JT sang "Sweet Baby James" and "Almost Like Being In Love" (from
the musical "Brigadoon" by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe).
Brief interview.
5.3 "Sesame Street" (PBS Network - U.S.)
Several appearances on the daily children's television program.
On one occasion he sang "Up On A Roof" while on the roof of a building.
Has also performed "You've Got a Friend" and "Your Smiling Face."
5.4 Concerts on TV
"James Taylor Sings James Taylor" -- 1970 U.K. television appearance.
Songs:
With a Little Help From My Friends (3/4 time)
Rainy Day Man
Steamroller
Greensleeves (guitar solo)
Back On the Higway
Snuff commercial (2 versions)
Sunny Skies
Carolina In My Mind
"In Concert" - 1971 - BBC series - 40 minutes
JT appeared with Carole King, Danny Kortchmar, Lee Sklar, and Russ Kunkel.
Performed songs from "Sweet Baby James" and "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue
Horizon."
"Loudon & Co." -- 1994 air date of a 1993 show in Scotland - BBC
Recorded at "The Old Fruit Market" in Glasgow, Scotland.
JT performs for approximately 30 minutes.
Songs:
Sweet Baby James
Country Road
Fire and Rain
You Can Close Your Eyes (with Iris Dement)
You've Got a Friend
"Evening at Pops" -- July 16, 1993 - PBS
With the Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by John Williams
Songs:
Secret 'O Life
Carolina in My Mind
The Water is Wide
The Way You Look Tonight
Copperline
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Steamroller Blues
"Squibnocket" -- April 1992 - Disney Channel
Distributed on video tape as "Squibnocket." See section 4.4.1
"The Road" - CBS - 1995
Songs:
Sun On the Moon
Country Road
Frozen Man
5.5 Radio
1970 - Performed with Joni Mitchell on BBC radio show. See section 4.5.
Show was recorded at Royal Albert hall on October 29.
May 12, 1980 - Performed at nuclear disarmament rally in Central Park,
New York City. Broadcast nationally. See section 3.0.
1981 - Performed for a live national radio broadcast from the Fox Theater in
Atlanta. See section 4.6.
1993? - Interviewed and performed two songs on the Howard Stern show.
5.6 Major Live Performances
1979 - MUSE/No Nukes concerts - 5 shows from Sept. 19-23.
"The Muse Concert" is available on video. See section 4.4.3.
Highlights of the shows at New York's Madison Square Garden were
released on a triple album (vinyl) and documentary film, both
titled "No Nukes." The show was organized by Musicians United for
Safe Energy, which was a founded by JT, Carly Simon, John Hall and
Bonnie Raitt.
1984 - Rock in Rio concert
Recorded for "Live in Rio" album. See sections 8.2.
1985 - Moscow Rock Festival
Excerpts shown on Showtime cable network (U.S.)
1995 - Rainforest Action Network benefit, Carnegie Hall, NYC 4/12/95.
JT performs "Sweet Baby James", duets with Bruce Springsteen on
"The River", provides backup vocals to Sting's "Fields of Gold",
duets with Sting on Jobim's "Obsession" and performs "It's A
Wonderful Day" with Sting and Elton John. Don Grolnick is listed
as the show's "Music Dorector", and JT's band provides backup for all
the musicians, a list that includes Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon
Jovi, Jesse Norman and others.
5.7 "The Simpsons" - animated weekly series on Fox Network (U.S.)
2/24/94 - JT appeared as himself in an episode centering on Homer Simpson
being chosen by NASA for a space mission. JT was called in to calm the
frantic crew by singing a couple songs for them over the radio. He
started with "You've Got A Friend" and later sang part of "Fire And
Rain," at one point changing the lyrics to avoid saying "flying
machines in pieces on the ground" since the rocket was expected to
burn up on re-entry. Hilarious inside jokes were made in reference to
JT's home on Martha's Vineyard and his friendship with Art Garfunkel.
JT suggested a way to save the astronauts which resulted in
Homer being sucked out of the spaceship. JT's response when the NASA
head honchos turned on him angrily was "Gotta go." And he did.
Look for sampled recordings of JT's appearance on both the Web home
page and the FTP site.
5.8 "Late Night With David Letterman"
11/86 - JT performs "Only a Dream In Rio."
11/91 - JT performs "Copperline" backed by Mark O'Connor on violin.
5.9 "CBS This Morning"
10/93 - JT performed "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" and was interviewed.
6.0 B I B L I O G R A P H Y
6.1 Biographies
None known.
6.2 Major Articles/Interviews
_Acoustic Guitar_
Jul-Aug/92 - Page 40-45 - "Shed a Little Light" plus
transcription of "Copperline."
_Frets_
12/87 - Page 46-53 - Cover story plus transcription of "Song For
You Far Away."
_Guitar Extra_
Spring, 1992 - Page 52 - "James Taylor, Back To The Well"
_Guitar Player_
5/84 - Page 90 - "The instrumental side of James Taylor"
_Life_
10/85 - Page 17 - "Pop's rainy day man is singing a sunnier tune"
_Musician_
4/88 - Page 70 - "James Taylor Won't Die Young - Old Wounds, New
Bandages ... James Taylor On the Mend."
_New York Times_
4/8/81 - Page C24 - "Taylor: After the Turmoil and Wanderlust"
2/3/88 - Section C - "The Pop Life"
_New York Times Magazine_
2/21/71 - Page 28 - "James Taylor, a New Troubadour."
_Newsweek_
11/4/85 - Page 79 - "Grown-up James, adult Joni" (JT and Joni Mitchell)
_Orange Country Register_
1994 - "James Taylor identifies with grunge icon"
JT acknowledges many similarities between his career and
Kurt Cobain's.
_Parade_
7/12/81 - Page 6 - "A Star For Today's Children"
_People_
10/6/80 - Page 104 - "No nukers Carly Simon and James Taylor have a
new cause: stopping fission at home"
8/24/81 - Page 26 - "The five singing Taylors find smooth sailing in
their first family concert"
_Rolling Stone_
2/18/71 - Page 36 - "The First Family of the New Rock"
9/6/79 - Page 38 - "James Taylor (The Rolling Stone Interview)"
7/10/80 - Page 16 - JT's benefit concerts for the Anderson campaign
6/11/81 - Page 28 - "James Taylor (Grins and Bears It)"
12/10/81 - Page 23 - "Fathers and Lovers" (cover story on Carly Simon)
_Saturday Review_
9/12/70 - Page 83 - "James Taylor: Sunshine and ..."
_Stereo Review_
1/78 - Page 62-67 - "A Talk With James Taylor"
_Time Magazine_
3/1/71 - Page 45 - "James Taylor: One Man's Family of Rock"
10/23/85 - Page 64 - JT's second marriage
6.3 Sheet Music and Music Books (courtesy of Ken Kwartler)
"James Taylor" -- 1971 - Amsco Music Publishing Co.
It contains the entirety of the 1st two albums ("James Taylor" and "Sweet
Baby James") in piano/vocal format, and (unusually for its day)
contained a separate section for guitarists featuring some performance notes
and guitar tablature (a means of writing music for guitar that has becpme
very popular only in the last 4-5 yrs.) The tablature parts were written by
Happy Traum, himself a recording folk musician, and now head of Homespun Tapes
in Woodstock, which offers music instruction tapes by well known musicians,
including one by Livingston. The book also contained the original Apple
release, an interview with James, a letter he wrote about himself, and a
reprinted review of a 1970 Carnegie Hall concert. It is easily recognizable by
its black & white cover photo of a rather severe looking JT. This book was de
rigeur for folk guitarists in the 70s. A great many copies were once in
print, which means it may be easier to locate at used book shops for those
interested.
"James Taylor Anthology" - 1973 - Included all of 1st book (above) plus "One
Man Dog." White cover with light blue sketch of JT. "Mud Slide Slim" was
omitted.
"James Taylor Complete" - 1980 - Remarkably, despite JT's popularity among
guitarists, most of his music remained unpublished until this volume
emerged in 1980. It included "Mud Slide Slim," "Walking Man," "Gorilla,"
"In the Pocket," "JT," and "Flag," but not the other albums.
Separate music books were published for the "JT," "Flag," "Dad Loves His
Work," "That's Why I'm Here," "Never Die Young," and "New Moon Shine"
albums. A recent book covered the "Live" album as well, but the only new
material is "New Hymn." At least 3 different JT books for guitar have been
published, each containing only a few songs, none particularly noteworthy.
Finally, a large 2-volume "James Taylor Complete" also appeared circa 1990.
7.0 S O N G O R I G I N S
7.1 "Fire and Rain"
From William Palmer (wpalmer@oasys.dt.navy.mil):
Something I heard about this line goes like this: JT had a girlfriend
that he was really focusing on. Some friends decided that she was a
bad influence on him, and convinced her to go away for awhile. They
bought her a plane ticket, she got on the plane, and en route, it crashed
and she was killed in the accident. She was the 'sweet dream', and the
plane was the 'flying machine'.
From Jonathan Abramowitz (jabramowitz@msuvx1.memst.edu):
The real story behind "Fire and Rain", as I understand it, is that some
friends of James' were going to surprise james by bringing his
girlfriend, Suzanne, to one of his concerts- unbeknownst to James.
According to the story, Suzanne's plane crashed ("sweet dreams and
flying machines in pieces on the ground") on her way to see the concert
and Suzanne dies (Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you").
From Carrie Schwanke (ces@gwis.circ.gwu.edu):
"Fire and Rain" was written about a friend of JT's, Suzanne. They met
when they were in Austin Riggs for heroin addition. They became very
close *friends*. After JT was released, they spoke on the phone alot,
helping each other out ("hours of time on the telephone line"). Suzanne
was supposed to be released, but committed suicide very close to her
release date.
The line "Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground" refers
to JT's past--and the breakup of his first band (Flying Machine).
From Ellen M. Roberts (eu176@cleveland.freenet.edu):
Actually, the song is sort of a mini-trilogy dealing with three
bad times in his life.
Verse I -- in 1968 -- making his first record. A friend of his
died -- her name was Suzanne and he got to know her when she was
at Austin Riggs with him. She had some surgery and didn't come
through it. (Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you).
He also refers to her in the refrain: I've seen lonely times
when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd
see you again. At the time of Suzanne's death, his friends didn't
tell him because they felt he was too strung out to handle the
news.
Verse II -- refers to the NYC drug scene
Verse III - refers to leaving NY to escape heroin.
The flying machines in pieces on the ground refers to his original
group breaking up after being together only a bit more than one
year.
From Ken Kwartler (kmklegal@corp.sgi.com)
Quoting Flying Machine drummer Joel Bishop:
James wrote it after the album was pretty well done. There was this
friend of my brother's - we both really liked her, and she had killed
herself six months before. No one had told James - they were afraid I
guess. One night late we got drunk, and I told him because I'd wanted to.
In a week and a half, he had that song written.
Quoting JT in a 2/18/71 Rolling Stone article:
The first verse was a reaction to a friend of mine killing herself. . . The
second verse of it is about my kicking junk just before I left England.
And the third verse is about my going into a hospital in Western
Massachusetts. It's just a hard-time song, a blues without having the
blues form.
7.2 "Sweet Baby James"
The song is most likely about JT's brother Alex's son, James, though people
often associate the title with JT himself.
7.3 "Mona"
From Ethan Harvey (sunking@inca.gate.net):
He told the story at a concert I went to years ago, but I don't remember
all of it. He did own a pig named Mona, but he didn't shoot her. I think
he left rat poison out to kill the rats on his farm. Instead, Mona got to
the poison, and that was the end of Mona. But the shooting made for a better
song, I guess.
7.4 "Suite for 20G"
From Ken Kwartler (kmklegal@corp.sgi.com):
JT & the gang had purportedly written and recorded all the other songs for
Sweet Baby James, but needed one more. JT strung together a few different
pieces he was working on into one song, and named it Suite for 20G, as once
they recorded it and gave the record company the finished project, they got
a $20G advance.
7.5 "Mexico"
From Carrie Schwanke (ces@gwis.circ.gwu.edu):
JT's song "Mexico" refers to a trip he took with his family
to this country. JT came down with the craps and a fever and didn't leave
his hotel room for the entire trip, hence, the line: "I've never really
been so I don't really know."
7.6 "Steamroller"
Here, in JT's own words, is the explanation for Steamroller. This is
transcribed from the 1970 JT/Joni Mitchell BBC radio show bootleg:
We played this eight-month long gig at a place called the Night Owl Cafe
down in Greenwich Village in New York. It used to be a McDougal and Third,
but it might have moved since then. I don't know.
Anyhow, at that time there were a lot of so-called blues groups in New York
City, you know? And they were making a lot of noise with electric guitars
and amplifiers that their parents had bought them for Christmas and
birthdays and stuff. Their idea of soul was volume. They'd just crank it
up, you know? And they were singing all these heavy songs like "I'm a Man"
or "I'm a Jackhammer" or "I'm a Steamship", whatever..."I'm the Queen
Mary" [laughter] ... "I'm a Ton of Bricks."
And we weren't to be left out of all this so I wrote this next song, which
is the heaviest blues tune I know, ladies and gentlemen....called "I'm a
Steamroller." [more laughter as JT goes on the play a hilarious solo
version of the song]
7.7 Quick Takes:
From Ken Kwartler (kmklegal@corp.sgi.com):
"First Day of May" - Rooted in his father's annual quote "hooray, hooray,
first day of May, summer f___ing begins today" (JT - Mountain View, CA
concert in 1990)
"Railroad" - About his frustrations with loss of creative control while
acting for the film Two Lane Blacktop (JT - introducing the song on the
"Bitter End Years" LP)
"Only a Dream In Rio" - About his trip to Rio for the above mentioned music
festival, and his reaction thereto
"That's Why I'm Here" - Second verse deals with John Belushi's drug overdose.
"Let it All Fall Down" - Written about Nixon and Watergate, and even
released as a single only a few days before the "smoking gun" revelation
and Nixon's resignation.
7.8 "B.S.U.R."
From Thorbjorn Nilsson (nilsson@ursus.se)
Quoting JT in the 6/11/81 Rolling Stone article:
The song B.S.U.R. on Flag was inspired by the cartoons of William Steig,
who has a book out called CDB! about how to take letters and numbers and
turn them into sentences, like IMAUMBN (I am a human being) or URNNML
(You are an animal). Well, my sister and I used to play that game.
8.0 T I D B I T S (Gossip, stories, etc.)
8.1 The Rock in Rio concerts in January 1985
From Andre Valente (andre@lri.jur.uva.nl):
I was present in JT's concerts and almost all days from the festival
(10 days total) because I lived in Rio by that time.
- It started with JT alone in the guitar for a few songs, then with
the addition of two wonderful back-vocals (one male one female, both
black). This was the part I liked most. I prefer the slow songs (Long
Ago and Far Away, You Can Close Your Eyes, etc.) generally, and their
performance for so many people created an incredible effect: can you
imagine 200.000 people in a rock festival almost completely silent,
sitting on the ground? It was this magic mood that made the experience
incredible, and the origin of the magic was JT's music.
- The other instruments entered slowly, up to the moment where the group
was complete. Then followed "You've Got a Friend", "Fire and Rain",
"Mexico", etc. All the big hits, everything I wanted to hear. I think
he finished with "Up on a Roof", but I am not certain.
The fact that the audience was so big (the biggest from the 10 days of
the festival) was due to a large extent to JT. He was (is) very famous
in Brazil, especially for the generation that lived the 70s.
8.2 Carly Simon's "You're So Vain"
People often suggest that the song is about JT, but according to Carly
herself, it was about Warren Beatty. Other theories survive, though.
From JD Delorme (jdd9642@ritvax.isc.rit.edu):
The rumor going 'round when I was but a lad was that "You're
So Vain" was about Mick Jaggar - whom she dated for awhile - and who heard
it and knew it was for him. Then he begged to be allowed to do background
vocals - a little twisted humor - sort of the ultimate irony for the whole
idea that "you probably thing this song is about you". Of course - it may
well have been more urban folklore, too.
From Charles R. Center (CENTERCR%DFL@pcmail.usafa.af.mil):
Saw an interview once, and she said it was about Beatty, and acknowledged
that alot of people mistakenly attributed it to JT.
8.3 JT/Carly Simon breakup
From Carrie Schwanke (ces@gwis.circ.gwu.edu):
The reason Carly and James broke up was because James was spending alot of
time on the road, totally concentrating on his music (and we really don't
mind). Carly now had 2 kids by JT, and gave him a bit of an ultimatum:
Quit spending so much time on your music and more time with your kids or
I'll divorce you.
James' answer lies in the title of his next album: "Dad Loves His Work."
8.4 JT's Guitars and Pickups
From Sergio Ramirez (bsergio@cs.utexas.edu) citing a Spring 1992
_Guitar Extra_ article:
For two years previous to the interview he had been playing guitars made
by a guy in St. Paul, called James Olson. He used those guitars in "New
Moon Shine." He played a Yamaha for a while, but lately he had been
playing the Olsons only. He owned three Olsons, one of each of the sizes
Olson made: a "parlor-size," a dreadnought, and a cutaway.
He was using a Lloyd Bags pickup under the bridge, and when playing live
he used a Pendulum audio preamp. This was a 4-band equalizer with a
variable notch filter that helped him take out "some of the 'oinky,' sort
of unpleasant metallic sound that you get out of a piezoelectric
transducer."
He used to use a dreadnought guitar, and loved its profound sound, but he
found that with a piano and bass player he was taking too much room, so
he went for a smaller, more concise guitar with a narrower and prettier
range; this way the guitar can make a statement without getting tangled
up in bass and piano. But when he drops the low E to a D, he goes back
to the dreadnought.
8.5 Randy Newman's Rock Opera
From Ken Kwartler (kmklegal@corp.sgi.com):
The "rock opera" mentioned in an earlier message is a Randy Newman project.
Newman is doing an "original" re-interpretation of "Faust". The music and
lyrics are all Newman's, but others are playing the different vocal roles.
JT, Bonnie Raitt, and Don Henley are among those supposedly participating.
JT is reportedly cast as God.
Update: "Faust" opened Sept. 24, 1995 at the La Jolla, California
playhouse. JT is not a member of the cast, but was involved in the album to
be released separately.
8.6 JT's Nicknames
From Ellen M. Roberts (eu176@cleveland.freenet.edu):
A partial list of JT's nicknames over the years:
"Moose" - during his days at Milton Academy.
"String Bean" - during the "Flying Machine" years.
"Sweet Baby James" - still popular thanks to the song.
"JT" - for obvious reasons.
8.7 Summer '94 Tour Set List
From Ken Kwartler (kmklegal@corp.sgi.com):
Saw the show on Saturday in Berkeley. JT just keeps getting better and
more humorous as a performer. He gave a great and lengthy show. Here's
the set list: [differed slightly from show to show -- JDR]
Lo and Behold
Mexico
Promised Land (Chuck Berry)
Handyman
Fool To Care
Got To Stop Thinking Bout That
Rainy Day Man (the Flag version)
Frozen Man
Sun on the Moon
Your Smiling Face
Shower the People
Country Road
Copperline
Carolina (solo acoustic)
Wandering
Memphis (C. Berry)
Every Day (Buddy Holly)
Not Fade Away (B. Holly)
(can't read my own notes!)
Never Die Young
Johnnie Comes Back
Up on the Roof (Carole King)
You've Got A Friend (C. King)
Steamroller Blues
How Sweet It Is
Fire & Rain
Summertime Blues
Shed A Little Light
Sweet Baby James
8.8 '94-'95 Symphonic Tour Set List
From Daniel Barron (76307.52@CompuServe.COM):
James Taylor and the Pittsburgh Pops with Marvin Hamlisch
Sony/Blockbuster Entertainment Center, Camden, NJ
July 12, 1995
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight / Getting to Know You (Hammerstein)
That's Why I'm Here / The Water is Wide / Your Smiling Face
Someday (Kern) / Only a Dream In Rio / Shed a Little Light
Fire and Rain
Intermission
Secret O' Life / Mexico / So Long Old Gal / Promised Land
Slap Leather / Fascinating Rhythm (Gershwin) / Carolina In My Mind
Millworker / Wasn't That a Mighty Storm (Anonymous) / Not Fade Away
Frozen Man / Up On the Roof / Steamroller Blues / Looking Through
the Eyes of Love (Hamlisch)
Encores:
How Sweet It Is / You Can Close Your Eyes / Sweet Baby James
8.9 The Flying Machine Album
From the liner notes of one of the many versions of this album:
We first knew Kootch and Joel it was the winter of 66. They were in a
group called the "King Bees" and we were all working on a rock film that
for good reason never escaped. During that time Kootch kept telling us
about his friend James and that they were planning to start a new group
after the film was completed. The group, (Kootch, James, Joel and
another friend) came up to our office at 1650 broadway and played us some
songs that James had written. Somewhere between the "Nightowl" (that's
the place in the village where they were working) and 1650 we made plans
to make some records. There were the usual hassles in getting things
going but we finally got into the studio and did some work. "Nightowl",
was released as a single and made some noise. Next thing we knew James
was going off somewhere to get himself together. After a while the Apple
album was released and then another but this is where it all started.
-- Al Gorgoni, Chip Taylor
9.0 R E L A T E D A R T I S T S
9.1 JT's Family
9.1.1 Alex
1971 - "With Friends and Neighbors"
1972 - "Dinnertime" - Capricorn -- CP 0101
? - "Dancing With the Devil" -- Wild Dog Blues - 9007
1989 - "Voodoo In Me" - King Snake Records (available on CD)
9.1.2 Livingston:
- Faculty member at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
- Web site at http://www.midcoast.com/~liv/
1970 - "Livingston Taylor" - Capricorn/Atco - SD 33-334
1971 - "Liv" - Capricorn - SD 863
1973 - "Over the Rainbow" - Capricorn - CP 0114
1978 - "3-Way Mirror - Sony - 57312 (also released on CD by Sony in Japan)
Note: Contains original version of "Going 'Round One More
Time," which JT later recorded on "That's Why I'm Here."
1979 - "Echoes" (compilation of first 3 albums) - Capricorn - CPN 0220
1981 - "Man's Best Friend" - Epic - JE 36153 (also released on CD by Sony
in Japan)
1988 - "Life Is Good" - Atco/Critique - 90941
1991 - "Our Turn to Dance" - Vanguard Records - 79469
1993 - "Good Friends" - Chesky Records - 9037
1994 - "Unsolicited Material" - Whisling Dog Music
Note: Liv sells his albums by mail order for US$15 (includes
U.S. postage). Mail him at:
Livingston Taylor
P.O. Box 114
Newton Lower Falls, MA 02162
9.1.3 Kate
1971 - "Sister Kate" - Atco/Atlantic
1978 - "Kate Taylor" - Columbia - JC 35089 (also released on CD by Sony in
Japan)
1979 - "It's In There and It's Got To Come Out" - Columbia (vinyl) - also
available on CD from Japan
Title track on the "In Harmony" album. See section 4.3.1.
9.1.4 Hugh:
- Owns an inn on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts called The Outermost Inn.
Album:
1990 - "It's Up To You" - Village Green (featuring all the Taylor
siblings with JT singing of five of the tracks)
9.1.5 Ben (son with Carly Simon):
- Appeared in Levi's jeans Commercials circa 1994
1994 - "Time Works On All the Wild Young Men" on mom Carly's album
"Letters Never Sent."
1995 - "I Will" (Beatles hit) on the "Bye Bye Love" movie soundtrack.
Co-produced by dad JT.
9.2 JT Alumni
9.2.1 Carly Simon
- JT's ex-wife and frequent collaborator
- Successful recording artist
- Web site at: http://www.ziva.com/carly/
Albums:
1971 - "Anticipation" - Elektra - ELE 75016
1971 - "Carly Simon" - Elektra - ELE 74082
1972 - "No Secrets" - Elektra - ELE 75049
1974 - "Hotcakes" - Elektra - ELE 1002
1975 - "Best of Carly Simon" - Elektra - ELE 109
1975 - "Playing Possum" - Elektra - ELE 1033
1976 - "Another Passenger" - Elektra - ELE 1064
1978 - "Boys In the Trees" - Elektra - ELE128
1980 - "Come Upstairs" - Alex (import) - ALE 3520
1981 - "Torch" - Warner Bros. - 1981 - WAR 3592-2
1983 - "Hello Big Man" - Warner Bros. - WAR 23886
1985 - "Spoiled Girl" - Warner Bros. - CBS 39970
1987 - "Coming Around Again" - Arista - ARI 8443
1988 - "Greatest Hits Live" - Arista - ARI 8526
1990 - "Have You Seen Me Lately?" - Arista - ARI 8650
1990 - "My Romance" - Arista - ARI 8582
1992 - "This Is My Life" (soundtrack) - Qwest/Reprise - 26901
1994 - "Letters Never Sent" - Arista - ARI 18752
9.2.2 Carole King
- Wrote JT's major hit "You've Got A Friend" and many other songs
- Frequent collaborator and band member
- JT played guitar of several of her albums
- Extremely influential artist. Her songs were recorded by many major
performers.
- Web site at: http://www.iuma.com/GMO/html/King,_Carole.html
Albums:
1970 - "Writer" - CBS - CBS 34944
1971 - "Tapestry" - CBS - 34946
1971 - "Music" - CBS - CBS 34949
1972 - "Rhymes and Reasons" - CBS - CBS 34950
1973 - "Fantasy" - CBS - CBS 34962
1974 - "Wrap Around Joy" - CBS - 34953
1975 - "Really Rosie" - Sony - 34955 (Soundtrack for children's special)
1976 - "Thoroughbred" - CBS - CBS 34963
1978 - "Greatest Hits" - CBS - 34967
1980 - "Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King" - Scarface - 53879
1982 - "One To One" - Atlantic - 1982 - SD 19344
1984 - "Speeding Time" - ?
1989 - "City Streets" - Capitol - CAP 90885
1993 - "Colour of Your Dreams" - Scarface - SCA 57197
1994 - "In Concert" (live) - Scarface - SCA 53878
1994 - "Now That Everything's Been Said" - (with "The City")
Released on CD in Japan in 1994.
1994 - "Natural Woman: The Ode Collection" - Sony - 2 CDs - 48833
? - "Plus" - Collectables - COL 5414
9.2.3 Joni Mitchell
- Frequent collaborator and successful artist
- Romantically involved with JT during the early '70s
- Web site at: http://www.well.com/user/wallyb/jonihome.html
Albums:
1968 - "Joni Mitchell" - Warner Bros. - WAR 6293
1969 - "Clouds" -- Warner Bros. - WAR 6341
1970 - "Ladies of the Canyon" - Warner Bros. - WAR 6376
1971 - "Blue" - Warner Bros. - WAR 2038
1972 - "For the Roses" - Elektra - ELE 5057
1974 - "Court and Spark" - Elektra - ELE 1001
Also: Gold disc version by DCC Gold Disc - 1025
1974 - "Miles of Aisles" - Elektra - ELE 202
1975 - "Hissing of Summer Lawns" - Elektra - ELE 1051
1976 - "Hejira" - Elektra - ELE 1087
1977 - "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" - Elektra - ELE 701
1979 - "Mingus" - Elektra - ELE 505
1980 - "Shadows and Light" - Elektra - ELE 704
1982 - "Wild Things Run Fast" - Geffen - GEF 22019
Also: Gold disc version by Ultradisc - 570
1985 - "Dog Eat Dog" - Geffen - GEF 24074
1988 - "Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm" - Geffen - GEF 24172
1991 - "Night Ride Home" - Geffen - GEF 24302 and 24388
1994 - "Turbulent Indigo" - Warner Bros. - WAR 45786
9.2.4 Others
Peter Asher
- JT's manager and a musician
- Member of British group "Peter and Gordon."
Rosemary Butler
- Frequent backup singer
- Sang with Jackson Browne
Album:
"Rose" -- Capitol/EMI - ST12320
Clifford Carter
- Keyboardist for JT
Album:
"Walkin' INto the Sun" - Soul Coast - SC 9359-2
Valerie Carter
- Frequent backup singer for JT
- Sings with Jackson Browne
David Crosby and Graham Nash
- Frequently sang backup for JT
- Members of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (and all the variations)
Don Grolnick
- Produced JT's last two studio albums
- Plays piano/keyboard
Album:
1985 - "Hearts and Numbers" - Hip Pocket Records
? - "River of Dreams" - Blue Note
Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar
- Friend since childhood and longtime member of JT's band
- Member of bands "The Section" and "Jo Mama."
- Co-wrote and produced much of Don Henley's recent work, also produced
Billy Joel's "River of Dreams" album.
Albums:
"The Section" -- Warner Bros.- BS 2661 (with Kunkel, Sklar, et al.)
"J Is For Jump" -- with band "Jo Mama."
"Now That Everything's Been Said" with Carole King and Charles
Larkey performing as "The City." Released on CD in Japan
in 1994.
Russ Kunkel
- Plays percussion
- Romantically involved with Carly Simon after her breakup with JT.
David Lasley
- Frequent backup singer
- Sang with Bonnie Raitt
- Appeared in original Broadway production of "Hair"
Albums:
"Missin' Twenty Grand" - EMI
"Raindance" - EMI - 1983?
"Soldiers On the Moon" - Pony Canyon (Japan) / A&M (U.S.) - 1993
George Massenburg
- Co-produced and mixed JT's latest live album
- Has also produced other major artists (10,000 Maniacs, Linda
Ronstadt, et al.)
- Lurks in alt.music.james-taylor
Paul McCartney
- Signed JT to the Beatles' Apple Records
- Played bass on several songs for "James Taylor"
- Sang with his wife Linda on "Walking Man"
Arnold McCuller
- Frequent backup singer
- Sang with Phil Collins
Album:
1994 - "Exception To the Rule" - Coyote Records
Billy Payne
- Plays keyboards
- Performed with Little Feat
Linda Ronstadt
- Occasional collaborator and successful artist
David Sanborn
- Popular jazz musician
- Plays sax
Leland Sklar
- Bass guitar
10.0 P O I N T E R S
10.1 Where To Find JT's Albums
All of the U.S. albums are still available on tape and CD.
Most of the CDs, including the non-U.S. ones, are for sale online.
CD Connection:
telnet cdconnection.com
http://www.cdconnection.com
CDNow:
telnet cdnow.com
http://www.cdnow.com
For foreign versions of JT's albums (but still through a U.S.
distributor):
telnet cdeurope.com
Vinyl albums are harder to find, of course. Any store that carries
old vinyl albums is likely to have at least a few JT LPs, but if you
can't find what you're looking for locally, try Acoustic Sounds
at 1-800-525-1630 (U.S. only).
Also keep in mind that there are at least two other singers named
James Taylor along with a James Taylor Quartet. Albums credited to
James "JT" Taylor or the James Taylor Quartet have nothing to do
with The JT.
10.2 Fan Mail
Try reaching JT through his manager, Peter Asher:
James Taylor
c/o Peter Asher Management
644 North Doheny Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 273-9433
If you ask nicely you can get tour information at this number.
About Fan Mail: Mail sent to JT at the above address does get forwarded
directly to JT, but he does not reply.
About E-mail: No, JT doesn't have an E-mail address.
10.3 How To Use the World Wide Web
What the Web Is:
First, the World Wide Web (WWW, or the web), isn't based on any particular
program. There are several popular programs to access web resources,
though. These programs will allow you to see the text and--if you have the
right hardware--graphics and sounds provided through the web.
Most web sites like James Taylor Online are made of multiple pages that you
access using a web browser such as Lynx (for those limited to text-based
Internet access), Mosaic (the former web standard), or Netscape (the newer,
most popular web browser).
To view web pages, you'll need to run a browser program and instruct it to
point at the James Taylor Online address.
Text-Based Web Access:
If you are limited to typing text commands in a UNIX shell (text-only)
account, your best bet is to access the web through Lynx. To see if it's
installed on your site, simply type this at your UNIX prompt:
lynx http://www.shore.net/~jrisberg/JT/
This loads the lynx web browser program and points it at James Taylor
Online. If all goes well, you can then use your arrow keys and enter key to
select from highlighted choices, which will lead to other information.
If Lynx doesn't seem to be available, try asking your system administrators
whether another type of browser is installed instead. If all else fails,
you may be able to download and install Lynx yourself, but it isn't for the
faint of heart.
SLIP, PPP or Direct (LAN) Connections:
If you connect to your account using SLIP or PPP from a Mac or PC (running
Trumpet Winsock, for instance), your options are a bit more complicated,
but also more fun. Or if you connect to the net directly over your office
or university's Local Area Network, this also applies to you.
In either case, I'd suggest trying Netscape, which is the browser of
choice for most people these days. If you're familiar with FTP, look for
Netscape at ftp.netscape.com (it's available for PCs running Windows,
Macs, or Unix with Xwindows).
If you do already have Mosaic or Netscape, simply enter the James Taylor
Online address in the "Open URL" or "Open Location" box:
http://www.shore.net/~jrisberg/JT/
The Major Online Services:
Most of the major online services provide web access now. If you have an
account on Compuserve, America Online, Prodigy, or NetCom, you probably
already have web access through the software you use to connect to the
service. Unfortunately, every service is different, so your best bet is to
call or email the company to ask how to use it.
Once you do find web access through these services, they're generally very
similar to Mosaic or Netscape in how they work.
Try It Out:
This quick overview probably isn't specific enough to cover all the possible
configurations people have, but it should help a new user get on the right
track. Good luck.
11.0 A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S:
A special thank you to Ken Kwartler (kmklegal@corp.sgi.com), the
quintessential JT guru, for sharing his accumulated JT knowledge and for
countless edits and suggestions.
Many others have also contributed to this FAQ, including:
Norma Pincus (norma@hpcllmr.cup.hp.com)
Carrie Schwanke (ces@gwis.circ.gwu.edu)
Jonathan Schilling (jls@summit.novell.com)
Sergio Ramirez (bsergio@cs.utexas.edu)
Jan van Kemenade (U001350@vm.uci.kun.nl)
Michael Lee Raymer (raymermi@cps.msu.edu)
Sharon Lowenthal (sbl13@columbia.edu) [who also bears the distinction of
being the only contributor I've met in person]
Richard Russell (richruss@aol.com)
Chris VanHaren (vanharen@cam.ov.com)
Christina (chuckles@astro.ocis.temple.edu)
Andy Gulick (gulick@oncology.wisc.edu)
David Poole (stdp@warthog.ru.ac.za)
Steve Piazza (piazza@nwu.edu)
Ellen M. Roberts (eu176@cleveland.freenet.edu)
David Cutts (dcutts@deacon.demon.co.uk)
Kraig Smith (kraigy@mail.utexas.edu)
Jeremy Clark (clark@cmo.intdata.com)
Andrew Gregory Clark (clarkag4@wfu.edu)
Judy Smith (judysmith@delphi.com)
Jeffrey Spero (Speroni@aol.com)
Taylor Roberts (troberts@MIT.EDU)
Peter Basler (U2166775@csdvax.csd.unsw.EDU.AU)
Diane Lin (dlin@weber.ucsd.edu)
Thorbjorn Nilsson (nilsson@ursus.se)
Joseph McLaughlin (jwmclaug@mailbox.syr.edu)
Phil Taylor (pftaylor@westgate.win-uk.net)
Jonathan Imber (jimber@wellesley.edu)
OimZGirl (oimzgirl@aol.com)
Tony Rees (Tony.Rees@ml.csiro.au)
Clay Johnson (GPDF80D@mail.prodigy.com)
Graham Fitzsimons (gfitz@nando.net)
Mylan Dawson (mountdrago@aol.com)
Jim Thomann (thomann@mkots4.enet.dec.com)
Bill Gority (WGority@aol.com)
David Stec (destec@post.its.mcw.edu)
Daniel Barron (76307.52@CompuServe.COM)
Kaz Herbert (k.herbert@forprod.csiro.au)
Jeanne Marie Mirabella (Mirabell@eden.rutgers.edu)
Rob Westerberg (rweste51@maine.maine.edu)
Mark Klempner (mtk2@cornell.edu)
Marty Kopp (MKopp@aol.com)
Paul Cronin (pcronin@snsnet.net)
Owen Williams (101360.2006@compuserve.com)
Greg Benson (gregb@westworld.com)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This document is Copyright (c) 1996 by Joel Risberg.
It may be freely distributed as long as no fee is charged and providing the
author's name and this notice remain intact. Any other use requires written
permission from the author.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Please email any corrections, additions, or suggestions to the address below:
Joel Risberg (jrisberg@shore.net)
--
Joel Risberg -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- jrisberg@shore.net
Trying to be happy is like trying to build a machine for which the only
specification is that it should run noiselessly. -=- Anonymous
WWW: http://www.shore.net/~jrisberg/

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